Rob Jolles: Speaker, Author, Consultant, Coachhttp://www.jolles.com
Fri, 10 Aug 2018 04:00:52 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8The Rise And Fall Of Business Modelshttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-rise-and-fall-of-business-models/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-rise-and-fall-of-business-models/#commentsFri, 10 Aug 2018 04:00:52 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3350Frequently, I’ll ask participants in the seminars I conduct about their expectations. Someone usually raises his or her hand and offers the following classic statement: “If I could learn one or two good ideas that I can use from time-to-time, I will be happy.” One or two ideas!? Between you and me, that kind of response is a bit insulting to the work a professional speaker performs. However, this is not an example of bad manners; it is a symptom of bad Business Models from the past.

The whole idea behind learning a Business Model is to give a structured series of techniques that are repeatable and predictable. The models are not intended to act as a straight jacket, but rather a track to run on. The most powerful benefit of a Business Model is that when you are performing repeatable predictable techniques in a sequence, you are able to measure your performance. When you can measure your performance, you can fix it. Is there a more important benefit than that?

Business Models often get a bad name because companies invest massive amounts of money for consultants and trainers, and they are often left following this unfortunate process:

Step One Invest heavily in the newest Business Model on the market. It has to be flashy, new, and have a really creative name. For some reason we like them better when there is a clever acronym that spells something interesting!

Step Two Fire up the team, and let the training begin! For the benefit of this article, (and because a professional speaker is writing it), let’s give the training the benefit of the doubt and assume it iseffective.

Step Three Within three months, what was once a Business Model has evaporated into “a few good ideas that we use from time- to-time.” Eventually, we go looking for a new, flashy Business Model… with a clever acronym that spells something interesting.

And there, in a nutshell, is the rise and fall of your typical Business Model. In its wake, there is this critical reminder:

It’s not our Business Models that typically fail us. It’s the implementation of them.

So let’s fix it here and now, and let’s fix it with a Business Model that I’ll create solely to support this BLArticle®. We’ll refer to this as the “STOP Model” to satisfy those of you who won’t take my model seriously unless it spells something interesting.

Step OneStop selecting Business Models based on acronyms that spell something interesting. That also goes for models that promise quick fixes and earth shattering changes in business culture.

Step Two Try remembering that the most important part of the Business Model begins at the end of the training session, not the beginning. Remember, you are not attending an actual training event to learn a Business Model. You are attending a training event to make cultural changes to your organization using a Business Model as a guide.

Step ThreeOrganize your implementation strategy. That should include a number of things: It means training from the top down to make the proper statement to all those affected by your Business Model. It means the development and use of job aids to assist people while this model is still new, and it means benchmarking other organizations who are trying to implement similar Business Models.

Step FourProtect your investment. The right Business Model, the right attitude, and the right implementation strategy are critical, but so is the formalized follow-up training. Assuming implementation is strong, and the organization doesmake a cultural shift to adopt this model, this will allow the organization to go deeper and make subject matter experts out of all who adhere to it.

What’s wrong with Business Models? As long as they don’t spell out something silly, frequently nothing. It’s the application that typically fails us, and now you have your very own Business Model to try and correct that.

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-rise-and-fall-of-business-models/feed/1Humor That Isn’t That Funnyhttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/humor-that-isnt-that-funny/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/humor-that-isnt-that-funny/#commentsFri, 27 Jul 2018 07:00:31 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3344One of the challenges of grabbing a microphone, walking to the front of a room, and speaking, is the strange paradox of confidence that is clearly on display. If you come on with too much attitude, you can be perceived as pompous. If you come on looking too unsure of yourself, you can be perceived as weak. What many novices do is to use self-deprecating humor as a way to position themselves between the two extremes.

It sure sounds like a good idea; after all, it takes courage to humorously put yourself down and humble yourself in front of an audience. It seems only natural that if you do this, it will cause an audience to identify with you better, and maybe they will connect with you on a deeper level. Perhaps… but let’s start with a simple definition from Webster’s to make sure we’re on the same page:

Self-deprecating humor: tending or serving to disparage or undervalue oneself

You lost me at “undervalue oneself.” Why in the world would I want to ridicule or devalue my own talents in front of an audience? If you think it will cause the audience to go easier on you when they evaluate your performance, you are sorely mistaken. Many are completely unaware of your funny little shortcomings… until you tell them. Why would you want to amuse your audience by making jokes about how:

You aren’t very good at giving presentations.

You typically struggle in these types of environments.

You don’t really know as much as you should about this particular topic.

Do you know what your reward will be? An audience that will judge you even more harshly because, well, you told them to! Do you still think this is a smart technique?

Self-deprecating humor does have its strengths. If you are speaking to a potential date, self-deprecating humor can be a pretty darn good tactic! Assuming you know how to be smart, quick and funny while you put yourself down, this form of humility can be perceived as attractive to others.

But when you give a presentation, you are not dating your audience. You are trying to win them over, and that requires strength, and humility, and expertise in a particular subject. I’m sure there are a few kind-hearted souls who will bond with you when he or she hears you say that you “aren’t very good at giving presentations, but you are good at making baloney sandwiches!” For the majority of the audience who are there to hear you speak, I’d think twice before telling jokes about how funny it is that you “typically struggle in these type of environments.”

It’s easy to be lured into believing that self-deprecating humor will bail you out of an uncomfortable position, and it sure is a handy tool to defuse tension and add humor in a social situation. In the end, however, if you are asked to deliver a presentation, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/humor-that-isnt-that-funny/feed/3The Fisherman’s Buckethttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-fishermans-bucket/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-fishermans-bucket/#commentsFri, 13 Jul 2018 07:00:48 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3338Fishing fascinates me. My Dad, Lee Jolles, loved to fish. My nephew Matt loves to fish. Quite frankly, I’ve never really understood what’s so interesting about sitting or standing around, for hours at a time, with a pole in your hand… but I learned a valuable lesson from a fisherman.

Some time ago, I was wandering around the banks of the Potomac River and I came across a fisherman. He seemed happy enough, sitting there with his pole in the water. I smiled, and instinctively asked him the only question I knew to ask a fisherman: “Did you catch anything?”

He politely smiled and nodded rather ambivalently. I had no idea what that nod meant and my brain began to swirl with more questions like, “So, did you catch anything?!” “How many fish did you catch?” and “How big was the fish you caught?” I wanted to ask these questions because, in a sense, I was trying to judge whether he was successful at what he was doing or not.

Still curious, I tried to sneak a peak into his bucket where I assumed he was keeping the fish he may or may not have caught. Unfortunately, the lid was covering part of the bucket so I shrugged my shoulders and began to leave. He must have sensed that I wasn’t satisfied with his response because he called out to me. He told me something I have never forgotten…

“You want to know how many fish I’ve caught because you think the more fish I catch, the happier I’ll be. For a real fisherman, one has nothing to do with the other. I’m out here on a beautiful morning, amongst spectacular nature, along the banks of a magnificent river. I’m having a wonderful day because I love to fish; not because of what’s in the bucket. If that’s not good enough for you, move the lid and look in the bucket.” So I did.

His response made me think about my triathlon and marathon days. It took a lot of work to get ready for those races, and it was a tremendous challenge to complete them. For some of those races, it took years of training to be able to even participate in them. People who have never run a race would ask me what my time was. People who actually did run in races asked only one question: “Did you finish?”

This concept of defining success by your goals, and not the goals of others, translates to much of what we do.

Sometimes it’s pursuing a career that doesn’t generate a lot of money, but we find personally fulfilling and satisfying.

Sometimes it’s pursuing a client who may not end up working with us, but for whom we complete a proposal that is on time and to the best of our ability.

Sometimes it’s delivering a presentation to an audience that just isn’t very responsive, but we know that we prepared diligently and brought our “A-game” delivery skills.

There are so many scenarios that seem to trap us into judging our success by the outcome rather than our effort. These scenarios seem to focus on what we cannot control, rather than on what we can control. These scenarios often define something we do by how conventional thinking judges our accomplishments, rather than the joy we feel simply doing something we love.

Now, would you still like to know what I saw in that fisherman’s bucket? If you do, read this BLArticle® again.

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-fishermans-bucket/feed/6A Parking Lot For Presentershttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/a-parking-lot-for-presenters/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/a-parking-lot-for-presenters/#respondFri, 29 Jun 2018 07:00:13 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3323Here is the situation: You are up in front of an audience, and you are on a roll! The participants are just beginning to warm up so you want to be extra careful to respond to questions appropriately. A hand goes up, and a rush of excitement courses through your body. You call out the person’s name and hear your question. The problem is this; the question pertains to something that you fully plan to cover in detail… later! Not only that – once you enter that topic, you run the risk of traveling down a rabbit hole that will most likely confuse your audience. You also know that it will be extremely difficult to get back to your original topic without eliciting more questions. The stage is set. What should you do?

Avoid the question, and you might send out signals that discourage your most precious ally: participation.

Answer the question, and you run the risk of throwing the presentation into an illogical, confusing tailspin.

So, what’s the solution? Park it. In a remote section of your room set up a flipchart pad, whiteboard, or separate piece of paper with the words “Parking Lot” on it. Every time a participant has a question that would be better answered later, park it. Using this approach would sound something like this:

Participant: “I was wondering if you could tell us how to handle a situation that required the computer and the administrator.”

Presenter: “That is an excellent question. I’ll be covering the computer’s role in policy handling in about 30 minutes and I think it might be a good idea to revisit and answer the question then. But it’s an important question, so let me write it down over here in the “Parking Lot” so we do not forget to answer it at that time.”

I suppose you could just tell the participants that you will answer the question at the appropriate time, but often when the appropriate time comes, all we remember is that someone had a question relating to this topic. By casually delaying your response, you run the risk of damaging your credibility and leaving participants questioning whether you actually know the answer to his or her question. When you write it down, you give credibility to the participant who asked it, and assurances that you will not forget to answer it.

The responsibility becomes yours to keep an eye on the “Parking Lot” and answer the questions at the appropriate time. You might even want to check the answers off as you address them, which will alert the participants that you are actively answering their questions. Either way, you’ll be back in control, and in position to work with questions – no matter when they’re asked!

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/a-parking-lot-for-presenters/feed/0An Oldie… But Not So Goodiehttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/an-oldie-but-not-so-goodie/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/an-oldie-but-not-so-goodie/#commentsFri, 15 Jun 2018 07:00:44 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3315I remember the excitement of learning my first, real presentation model. Although I enjoyed public speaking, I had never received any formal training. I learned an approach that I’m guessing many of you have heard before:

Tell’em what you’re gonna tell’em,

Tell’em,

Then tell’em what you told’em

It changed my way of thinking, dramatically improved the presentations I was delivering, and gave me structure that I was sorely missing. Oh, did I mention that I learned this model when I was in 9thgrade?

Tell’em what you’re gonna tell’em

I’m not suggesting that this isn’t important, but I am suggesting that it is ridiculously simple, and missing many key components.

What about telling’em what’s in it for them to listen to you in the first place?

What about telling’em what the big picture of your message is?

What about telling’em what you expect from them when you’re done telling’em?

What about telling’em who you are, where you information is coming from, and a proof source or two about how what you’re about to tell’em has worked for others?

What about starting with something creative that grabs the attention of your audience before you even begin telling’em what you’re gonna tell’em?

Seems there’s a lot more to telling’em what you’re gonna tell’em than first meets the eye!

Tell’em

Also known as the body of the message, this is usually the easiest part of a presentation… and the most misjudged.

When you tell’em, will you be organizing your notes in a word outline, sentence outline, or manuscript? (I’m rooting for anything but a manuscript!)

When you tell’em, will you be cautious to avoid the mistake of telling’em too much? Too much information happens to be the single biggest mistake made by presenters – bar none!

When you tell’em, will you make sure to build room for audience participation, questions, facilitation and anything else that will allow you to stop telling’em and let the audience be a part of your presentation?

Seems there’s a lot more to telling’em then first meets the eye!

Tell’em what you told’em

Here comes the part where you nail that big close of yours. You do nail that big close of yours, don’t you? If you do, then I’m assuming:

You tell’em what you told’em by creatively reviewing the key points of your presentation.

You tell’em what you told’em by reminding the group they met the objective you established when you began your presentation.

You tell’em what you told’em by finishing with the best quote, story, or creative move you possess.

You see, if you really want to deliver a world-class presentation, there’s more to it than what you’d find in that old, tired, underachieving model we’ve been dragging around since high school. There’s a lot more to it, and if you need proof, try performing this small task. Look at every single bulleted item in this BlArticle® and ask yourself this: If your goal was to deliver the best presentation of your life, which of those bullets would you identify as unnecessary?

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/an-oldie-but-not-so-goodie/feed/6The Danger Of Mystery Marketinghttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-danger-of-mystery-marketing/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-danger-of-mystery-marketing/#respondFri, 01 Jun 2018 07:00:30 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3309I went to dinner with my wife recently, and I felt like having a nice, cold beer. When our waitress came to the table, I asked if they had one of my favorite beers; a Sam Adams. I happen to really like the taste of that particular beer. Turns out the restaurant didn’t serve Sam Adams. I went down the list of beers that I know and like, and it turned out that they didn’t serve any of them.

What they did serve was a variety of IPA beers. For those who don’t know what I’m referring to, IPA stands for “India Pale Ale.” It is defined as “a hoppy style of beer within the pale ale category.” Some popular local Maryland IPA’s are known for their rather colorful names, such as Flying Dog Dead Rise, Stillwater Classique, Union Craft Duckpin, Jailbreak Big Punisher, and many more. Seems like a new IPA beer with a funny IPA beer name is born every five minutes. I’m quite sure some of these beers might even be tasty, but how would you actually know?

I suppose you could ask the waitress, as I did, but it’s almost impossible to get an answer that provides any help whatsoever. When I did ask, I got the following response: “Oh, it’s hoppy, with a nice barley taste, and a touch of fruitiness.”

Well, that certainly explains it. I tried pushing a little harder, by calmly telling the waitress that I had no idea what a “hoppy” and “nice barley” beer would taste like. I asked her if she could compare the taste to any beer I might actually know. When I got a shrug of the shoulders and a vacant stare from my waitress, I knew what I had been suspecting: she had no idea what the beer tasted like.

I think they would have been better off calling this product what it truly is: A mystery beer… and therein lies the problem. I know I’m going to step on some toes of true beer drinking aficionados, but I believe the IPA Emperor has no clothes. It’s time to speak up. Disagree? Well, imagine for a moment, if we marketed and sold other products this way:

Imagine if we ordered our meals this way. “Just bring me a box of food with a unique, funny name that means nothing to me and surprise me.”

Imagine if we purchased books this way. “Forget the authors I typically like, or the genre of books I tend to enjoy. Just bring me something with a blank cover, and charge me for it. I’m sure I’ll like it.”

Imagine if we tried to sell ourselvesthis way. “I’m quite sure I can help your company. I’m talented in my own unique, mysterious way. Trust me.”

Now tell me what that tastes like!

I’m not against taking risks or trying new things now and then, but there’s a bigger message here. Successful companies do not make a mystery out of what they are selling. Successful companies are often extremely forthright in letting us know what problem they are addressing. We need to be cautious – verycautious – that we never market anything the way an IPA beer is currently being marketed… unless your goal is to brand your product as a mystery item. If that is your goal, drop me a line and tell me how that’s working for you.

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-danger-of-mystery-marketing/feed/0Emotional Momentumhttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/emotional-momentum/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/emotional-momentum/#commentsFri, 18 May 2018 07:00:44 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3298We all want to move forward and achieve our goals, but frequently we are blocked by our inability to begin. Try as we might, we just can’t gain any momentum. I’m not referring to physical momentum – something we see in a science experiment. Strike a cue ball, watch how the physical energy is transferred from one pool ball to another, and voilà– there’s physical momentum on display for your viewing pleasure.

What I’m referring to is something I call “emotional momentum.” One team struggles for a bit, and then finds some success. That team begins to believe in its success and suddenly we’re watching a team with emotional momentum. We may not be able to see the momentum but we can feel it and see the positive outcome it brings.

Let me give you another example: If you exercise, have you ever noticed it seems to take forever to get to the middle of your workout but once you get to the middle, the second half seems to fly by? Although you know you spent the same amount of time in the first half of your workout as the second, that’s not what the mind says.

When I am assisting clients in their goal to write a book, I recognize the hardest part of writing the book will be starting the book. You can’t really start without research and an outline, but that’s not what creates emotional momentum. Writing, and actually churning out pages, is what creates emotional momentum.

I’ve worked with clients who will tell me they’ve spent ten years working on a book, but rarely have they finished even five pages. In an attempt to create emotional momentum, I tell them this:

You won’t be editing as you write.

You won’t be reviewing what you write.

You won’t be analyzing what you write.

You will be following your outline, turning those words loose, and writing. It’s amazing to see someone, who has never finished a page, finish a chapter. When they do, emotional momentum begins to surface. When one chapter becomes two chapters, that emotional momentum builds even more. When that writer gets to the halfway point, emotional momentum kicks in big time, and that writer can’t be stopped. It’s almost as exciting for me to watch it as it is for that writer to live it.

So why can’t we harness that emotional momentum in other things we do? One of the obstacles in our way is the lack of clear, measurable goals. When you have a specific workout, or the desire to write a book, the goal is easy to measure. It’s right there in front of you, in the form of time or pages. But when you want to improve a skill, or create a change in your life, a clear, measureable goal is often lacking.

There’s a relatively easy fix for this, and it’s often as easy as breaking your larger goals down into smaller, measurable tasks. Getting in shape is a big goal – but setting up a series of days and times to workout is a smaller task. Completing the smaller goal creates emotional momentum. Writing a book is a big goal – but outlining one chapter is a smaller task. The process of completing that smaller, less intimidating task creates emotional momentum, and it can be ridden like a wave to the finish line.

What goals in your life have you been contemplating? What smaller, measurable tasks can you line up to create the emotional momentum you need to take those goals to your finish line? Oh, and why not start today?!

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/emotional-momentum/feed/2The Effort Behind Effortlesshttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-effort-behind-effortless/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-effort-behind-effortless/#commentsFri, 04 May 2018 07:00:09 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3285One of the kindest comments that can come from those we work for is this: “You make what you do look effortless.” It doesn’t matter if you are a professional speaker, a salesman, a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker; when anyone hears that phrase, it can’t help but make you feel like you’ve done your job well. Although our jobs are often anything but easy, it is often our job to make what we do look effortless.

The irony is, the more effort we put behind a task, the more effortless we make the task appear.

Although we all want to make what we do appear simple, it takes work, and lots of it. I’d suggest focusing on these three techniques:

Like hearing the words, “location, location, location” when we’re looking for a new house, making the tasks we perform appear effortless often comes down to, “repetition, repetition, repetition.” Repetition is the answer for those seeking to appear effortless and comfortable in his or her skin.

Trial and Error.If repetition is the secret sauce to making something appear effortless, trial and error is the spice that adds flavor. What good is making something that is stale, or clearly not your best, look effortless? The key is not to be afraid of testing and tweaking what you do.

It takes self-control to do something over and over again. It takes self-restraint to resist the urge to tweak something because youare becoming bored with it. When you can apply discipline to both, you move closer to the goal of effortless.

Don’t confuse doing something that appears effortless to others with doing something that isn’t valued by others. Performing a challenging task, and making it look easy, makes what you do not only relatable, but admired.

Performing a task in an effortless manner requires a journey with no real finish line, and the work that isn’t seen is usually what pays the biggest dividends. Through repetition, trial and error, and good old-fashioned discipline, you’ll be making the difficult job look effortless in no time!

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/the-effort-behind-effortless/feed/3You Schmooze, You Can Losehttp://www.jolles.com/blarticle/you-schmooze-you-can-lose/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/you-schmooze-you-can-lose/#respondFri, 20 Apr 2018 07:00:29 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3278When I work with sales people and consultants, I can always count on one question being asked when we begin to talk about opening tactics: “How long do you schmooze for?” It’s a great question… and a complicated answer. For those who don’t know what the word “schmooze” means, the Webster dictionary defines it like this: to chat in a friendly and persuasive manner especially so as to gain favor, business, or connections.

I met a doctor once whom I felt had the perfect approach to this schmoozing question. When I met him, I was there to have my eye looked at, and I was a little nervous. He came rolling into the small waiting room, looked at me with a big smile and said, “Would you like me to look at the eye and then we’ll schmooze, or would you like to schmooze and then I’ll look at the eye?”

I’m social in nature, and he was clearly social in nature as well, so it was the absolute perfect opening for me. I chose to schmooze a bit, and then he took a look at my eye. If only it were that easy for the rest of us. What made that opening work was the doctor’s ability to understand his patient’s social tendencies, and fit in an approach that was ideal for the situation.

What about the rest of us? As much as I liked that particular opening and approach to how to balance schmoozing and business, I don’t think that technique would work for most of us. So, how do you know when to shift between socializing and business? The answer lies in the personality of the person you are conversing with, and it means you have to focus on three things:

Clues Beforehand. You don’t have to actually see a person to get a head start on his or her personality. Emails or phone calls will often tell you all you need to know. If these exchanges are short and to the point, you’re probably dealing with a more dominant person who is not going to want to spend a lot of time schmoozing. On the other hand, if those emails tended to have social information upfront, or the phone exchanges tended to get a little chatty, get ready for some upfront schmoozing.

Clues On Hand.Perhaps this particular meeting represents the first time you’ve ever met the other individual. Begin by taking a good, fast look at your client’s appearance. Is his or her clothing conservative in nature? If so, once again you might be dealing with a dominant person and you’ll want to get down to business relatively quickly. On the other hand, if that clothing is slightly more colorful, or pushing the envelope a bit, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a social person, and that means more upfront schmoozing.

Clues On The Wall. If this meeting takes place in your client’s office or home, take a good look around you. A bare office or home with little out or on the walls indicates a more dominant personality, while a little more on the walls, and a little more clutter indicates a more social personality

When I know I have business to discuss, I really do wish I could turn to every friend or client I meet and ask them, “Would you like me to look at the business issue and then we’ll schmooze, or would you like to schmooze and then I’ll look at the business issue?” Unfortunately, that just doesn’t work well in my industry. However, trying to anticipate the social leanings of those you are meeting with, and putting some thought into when and for how long you’ll schmooze, you’ll find that you are a step ahead. Remember: If all else fails, you can just ask.

]]>http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/you-schmooze-you-can-lose/feed/0Ask Me About…http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/ask-me-about/
http://www.jolles.com/blarticle/ask-me-about/#commentsFri, 06 Apr 2018 07:00:50 +0000http://www.jolles.com/?p=3258Isn’t it interesting how guarded we tend to be when it comes to letting others know about personal challenges that require courage? Fear of failure is a mighty foe, but letting others in on our tryst with failure requires even more courage. Well, I’m here to convince you the risk is worth the reward.

Typically, when we plan to do something that requires courage, our instinct is to prepare for it, but tell absolutely no one about it. After all, the fear of the unknown goes hand-in-hand with acts of courage. The more unknowns involved, the quieter we become. The more we can’t control, the quieter we become. The more vulnerable we feel as we face a big challenge, the less we want to talk about it. We don’t always succeed at these acts of courage, but when we do achieve them, we can’t wait to tell others.

What if, rather than hide our acts of courage from others, we trumpeted our intentions to all in earshot?

This isn’t just a hunch of mine; it’s an active tactic I use, and coach others to use. I began trying this with authors I mentored. The author’s instinct was to tell no one about his or her goal to write a book, in order to avoid uncomfortable conversations from good-natured friends who might ask about how things are proceeding. By not telling anyone about their lofty goals, they protect themselves from being confronted by a lack of progress.

It’s another case of instinct versus logic. When you tell others that you are working on a book, it’s an uncomfortable topic, particularly when you’ve never written a book before. It’s only natural for people to ask you about it. However, when someone is trying to develop a book, one of the greatest gifts an author can be given is to be asked about it. The questions asked help authors prepare and practice for more important scenarios that require articulate and succinct responses. But that’s not all. When a writer is working on a concept, the more he or she talks about it, the more ideas come from these conversations. Where do you think many of my BLArticle® ideas come from?

This same philosophy is true for all kinds of challenges. When you tell others you are in career transition, it’s an uncomfortable topic, but it’s natural for people to ask you about it. It takes courage to put yourself out there and ask for help. Not talking about it might be instinctive, but it certainly isn’t logical. Why would anyone want to keep a job search a secret? When you do let others know, you extend your network. For the record, a new survey recently released places the number of job hiring’s – as a result of a network connection – up to a staggering 85%!

Do you see a pattern here? The downside of telling others about our goals that truly require courage is our fear of failure to achieve these goals. Personally, I respect those who try and fail! The upside?

When others know of our goals, we tend to work harder to achieve them.

When others know of our goals, we tend to expand our network of ideas.

When others know of our goals, we tend to stay committed to those goals.

I don’t know about you, but I think the upside here far outweighs the downside. That’s why I’m a big fan of putting our courageous challenges out there for all to see. I’m such a big fan; I’m investing in buttons! On these buttons I’m putting the words, “Ask Me About…” Whether you’re writing a book, in a job transition, running a marathon, climbing a mountain, or attempting anything that requires a significant commitment that takes you on a journey into the unknown, this button is for you! Who’s with me?